Engaging Youth to Promote Community Level Tobacco Prevention Policy Change – The 84 Movement

The 84 Movement, a project funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and managed by Health Resources in Action, is a unique, youth-led statewide tobacco prevention movement. This movement is built through community and school based “84 Chapters,” which are youth groups that support local and statewide tobacco prevention and policy change efforts, and promote the positive social norm that most youth do not smoke.

Youth in The 84 Movement led tobacco prevention policy change initiatives in their communities since 2005. In 2008, Boston youth and city officials led the way to ban the sale of tobacco in pharmacies, becoming the second city in the nation to do so. Since then, youth in Everett and Oxford have successfully followed their lead. In 2009, Boston youth revised the local signage ordinance to limit advertising in retail stores, thereby reducing tobacco advertising.

In 2011, youth across the state conducted person-on-the-street interviews to survey their community's perceptions of the pricing and packaging of cheap, single blunt cigars, tip cigars and cigarillos. These surveys documented community beliefs that these products are cheap and accessible to youth. Youth will present their findings to local governing bodies, and collaborate with them to identify viable policy change opportunities to promote healthier and more tobacco-free communities. This session will propose methods to effectively and creatively engage youth in local tobacco prevention policy change efforts and foster youth advocacy to ultimately build a statewide youth tobacco prevention movement.